James a



(No Model.)

J. A. ONEILL.

GOUPLING FOR LIGHT FIXTURES.

Patented Deo. 27, 1892.

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JAMES A. ONEILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN C. HALLINGS, OF SAME PLACE.

COUPLING FOR LIGHT-FIXTU RES.

SPECIFICATION forming part o1" Letters Patent No. 488,946, dated December 27, 1892.

Application filed July Z3, 1892.

To @ZZ whom z5 may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. ONEILL, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have-invented an Improvement in Cou plings for Light-Fixtures, of which the following description,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a coupling adapted for use with gas or combined gas and electric light fixtures, and which, by its simplicity and small number of parts, is quickly and easily applied and adjusted.

In my invention I make use of a ball and socket joint, and by my improved construction I am enabled to dispense with the expensive grinding which has heretofore been necessary to make such coupling tight when used for gas xtures.

Figure l, in vertical section shows my improved form of coupling, for use with gas alone; and Fig. 2, shows the same for use with gas or electricity, or both.

In the drawings, a, is the gas pipe externally screw-threaded, and extended from the Wall or ceilingin usual manner, the couplingr being secured to said threaded portion, as shown.

The coupling, as herein shown, is composed of the two-part casing b, c, and the ball portion d, having the gas passage d', and adapted to receive the hollow stem g. The part b of the `casing is substantially spherical, suitably screw-threaded at its base, as at b', and provided with an annular nipple or extension e, herein shown as threaded to engage the threaded portion of the pipe a. 'The part c of the casing is also spherical, and has an u pwardly extended flange c offset therefrom, and screwthreaded as at f to engage the threaded portion b' of the part Z). An opening c2 admits the stem g leading from the ball d to the chandelier or other xture. The interior of the part b is made larger than the ball, and a gas tight packing iing p is placed between them, it having a gas openingo therein. Viewing Fig. l, it will be seen that with Serial No. 441,007. (No model.)

the part b in place on the gas pipe, and the packing ring p inserted, the part c with the 5c ball d resting loosely therein and with the stem g extended through the opening c2 can be screwed upon the part b, until the ball is brought up against the packing ring, compressing it and making a perfectly gas tight joint. The ball fits snugly in the part c, as shown, but no grinding whatever is required either of the ball or parts c or b, as the packing intermediate the ball and part b effectually and completely stops the passage of gas. 5o While the joint is thus closed the ballis held iirmly in place by the packing and casing, one and the same operation performing both functions, and if the coupling is on a ceiling pipe the weight of the stein g will cause it to assume a correct vertical position. If it is desired to make an insulating' coupling, a second packing ring p' of insulating material is placed between the ball and part c, as shown in Fig. 2, and the ball with its attached pipe 7o is completely insulated from the rest of the coupling, the ring p also being composed of insulating material. The pressure upon the packing is regulated by screwing the part c more or less tightly upon the part b.

The parts of the coupling are readily cast, and as they require no grinding can be made very cheaply. Herein the stem g is shown as screwed into the ball, but it might form an integral part of the ball.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

isz-

l. In a coupling for gas and electric light fixtures, a separable casing comprising inte- 8 5 riorly spherical xed and movable parts, a ball therein having a gas passage.` and a hcllow stem extended through an openingin the movable part of the casing, and means to adj ustably connect said parts, combined with a 9o yielding gas tight packing iilling the space between the ball and spherical interior of the fixed part, and a supporting nipple on the fixed part registering with the gas passage and with an opening in the packing, substan- 95 tially as described.4

2.111 a coupling for light fixtures, a twopamt separable casing, a ball therein having a gas passage, and means to connect the parts of the easing, combined With insulating-pack- 5 ing rings interposed between the ball and both parts of the easing, substantially as dese'ribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES A. ONEILL.

Vtnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, JOHN C. EDWARD. 

